NOJIN KANSA

We spent four years studying this mountain, driving to the base of it, speaking with climbing teams who have reached the summit, negotiating with government officials, climbing to camp 2 with our own team, as well as collecting maps and photos of the route, before we finally climbed it in 2002. Nojin Kansa is unique in that it is a high summit, a spectacularly beautiful mountain located near an enormous blue lake, with a very easily approached and not extremeley technical route, which will allow for a fairly reliable chance at reaching the top for everyone in the team. Before one of our team members climbed it, it had not had a western ascent. 

Please take a moment to scroll through this page to view the photos, read the detailed description, and view the itinerary, as well as other information.  

Our trip begins in the ancient and colorful city of Kathmandu, (You could also start in Beijing).  We stay in a comfortable, simple, clean hotel, and sample some of the tasty Nepalese, Tibetan and Western-Style cuisine.  During our day in Kathmandu, we shall finalize our arrangements, and take some time out for trinket hunting, with planned visits to explore the 17^th century splendors of the Monkey Temple, the Durbar Square and old Kings Palace, as well as the ancient city of Patan.

Early in the morning we set out in our bus for the last Nepal town of Kodari at 1,770 meters.  If you are concerned about the altitude and brought Diamox (acetylzolamide), this might be the time to begin taking it.  We clear Nepalese customs and immigration, then hire local porters to carry our bags across the Sun Kosi River on the Friendship Bridge, to Zhangmu, the gateway town in Tibet.  Upon entering Tibet, the clocks immediately go forward by 2 ¼ hours.  After clearing Tibetan customs and immigration, our Chinese bus takes us up the windy road through the rolling hills to Nyalam town at 3,750 meters, and our basic "hotel".  The smaller towns in Tibet are generally simple and rustic places, and this one is no exception.  The topography here is quite interesting in that we are perched in the transitional zone where the Tibetan plateau rams into the Himalaya, then drops into the forested valleys and jungles of Nepal, and finally out into the Gangetic plain of the Terai and India. We rest for one day in Nyalam, and try to acclimate.

In the morning we continue our bus-ascent into the Tibetan plateau, to the town of Tingri at 4,342 meters.  There are superb views of Shishapangma, Cho-Oyu, and Everest as we drive into Tingri.  The town itself is a very basic frontier one-street hamlet surrounded by the tents of nomadic Tibetans.   About ½ of all ethnic Tibetans living in Tibet are nomadic or semi-nomadic.   Our extremely rustic little hotel has a surprisingly good restaurant, and it will be interesting to see if the high altitude has quelled your appetite for tasty fresh food.   There are the ruins of an old fortress on a rise above town, and from here we can see the finest views of Everest, Lhotse, Cho-Oyu, and Shishipangma.

On the road to Tingri.

After what for many is a relatively sleep-free night, we set out early for the town of Shigatse (3,900 meters), where we are able to visit the thriving bustle of the 15^th century Tashilunpo Monastery, the largest active monastic institution in Tibet.  Monks in maroon robes seem to be everywhere, going about their daily chores, praying, and practicing ceremonial music performances.   After a visit, we climb back into our bus and head for a comfortable hotel in Gyantse (at 3,950 meters), and another Chinese-style banquet.  In 1998, we were feted during dinner with no less than 15 different courses.

Gyantse is a small unique Tibetan town with relatively little Chinese influence that was an important trade link in the 14^th and 15^th centuries.  It was also the last major stop and battlegrounds in 1904 for the British advancement on Lhasa to open free trade, known as the Younghusband Expedition.  The main attraction in town is the Gyantse Kumbum, a large gold domed stupa composed of chapels with large array of murals showing the evolution of Tibetan Buddhist art.

In the morning, we drive through beautiful pastures and wheat fields, to the foothills of Nojin Kansa.  If the clouds have lifted, we should be able to see the mountain’s bright white snow covered ramparts peaking through the mist.  The road winds up into the highlands, along the Ngontin River, through traditional warren-like Tibetan farm towns.

Suddenly, we round a bend, and there is our basecamp, just off the road, at 4,989 meters.  We unload our equipment, and immediately set up basecamp, complete with our own dining tent, kitchen tent, and tents for each climber.   

Then we hike up a trail on a rocky ridge to Camp 1 at 5,800 meters, in order to find the best place for our camp.  Most often, we try to place Camp 1 just at the snow line, so that it is possible to walk here in just your trekking boots.  After walking back down to basecamp, its time for hot tea and a good meal of fresh vegetables, soup, rice, potatoes, and a separate meat-dish for the meat eaters amongst us, and then a good nights sleep.  Finally we are adjusting well to the altitude, so its time to move up into Camp 1 for a night’s sleep, and a reconnaissance of the route to Camp 2 (at 6,600 meters).  The route to Camp 2 ascends a small 40 degree snow ridge, then levels off to a gentle, broad and flat plateau.   We may place a fixed line here if crevasses are present.  Above Camp 1, we will place regularly spaced bamboo marker wands, in case we ever need to descend in a "white-out".  These slopes may be crevassed, so all of our team members are expected to be roped above Camp 1.  No solo-climbing will be permitted.

After another rest in basecamp, and further acclimatization, it is time to move into Camp 2, sleep there, and begin exploring the route to Camp 3, at 6,800 meters.  The route follows the general south-west ridge of the mountain, and climbs a small satellite summit "Togolung" at 6,733 meters.   We just climbed the first peak of the expedition!  After crossing this summit, we plan to continue along the ridge, avoiding a crevasse field, until we reach the high saddle at 6,800 meters, where Camp 3 is to be located.

After another rest cycle, and some good tea and home-cooked food in basecamp, its time to climb back up to Camp 3, and strive for the summit at 7,206 meters.  Its not a difficult climb, but rather follows the ridge line, ascending another gentle snow slope to a rounded top, from where we can see mountains in every direction, and are treated to a glorious view of the massive, blue watered Yamdrok Lake, with its many arms.  If we are not successful at reaching the summit on the first time around, we have scheduled three summit attempts, to ensure that everyone has the best chance of attaining the top.

After summiting, we carefully remove all of our trash and equipment from the mountain, then a bus will meet us in basecamp, and take us through the mountains, back to the Tibetan Plateau, to Lhasa, where we can have a hot shower, a delicious meal, and explore this fascinating city.

At 3,650 meters of elevation, Lhasa was established around 600 AD on the banks of the Brahmaputra River.  The heart of the city is centered around the Jokhang Temple, the most sacred building in all of Tibet.  Our comfortable, simple, clean, hotel is located in a medieval neighborhood a few steps from the Jokhang, built in the 7^th century.  We will have a good wander through the streets of Tibet, and take a refreshing walk through the fabulously massive Potala Palace.  Built on a hill in 1645, using the remains of older palaces and fortresses, the Potala has untold dark hallways, with steep narrow stairways, and rooms filled with more gold then you will probably ever see anywhere else.

After our day in Lhasa, we take a 1 hour flight in a jet, exactly over Mt. Everest and the spine of the Himalaya, to be reunited with our friends in Kathmandu.  In the past, we have had some fabulous views out of the plane windows during this flight.  In Kathmandu, we have a day to relax, celebrate, tour the valley, write postcards, and do a bit more shopping, before heading home.